NOT "Hittin' Your Stride"

Topcounsel

Once in a while (every month or so?) do you have one of those runs where you feel like you just
can't find your rhythm and get into a nice comfortable stride? What IS that?

I set out to run 13-1/2 miles on Monday morning (moved from Sunday for MLK holiday), and I did in
fact complete my run, but it was one of those days where it felt more like work than fun. I tried
the usual things -- shaking out my shoulders and arms, windmilling my arms a bit, running some 1/4
mile up-tempo intervals, consciously altering my landings a little -- but I just never felt right.
No pain certainly, but just none of the normal natural ease.

Why does this happen once in awhile? What things do you do to try and shake it off while you're out
there? Does it work? Running through it is okay, but still kind of a downer. I'd rather find a way
to snap out of it.

Chronofish

"TopCounsel" <topcounsel@aol.com> wrote in message news:20040121130307.24788.00000395@mb-m16.aol.com...
> Once in a while (every month or so?) do you have one of those runs where you feel like you just
> can't find your rhythm and get into a nice comfortable stride? What IS that?

That's an excellent question. Not long ago I was on an easy run - just 4 miler during ironman
training - and I could not find my gate. I was totally off - like you it wasn't painful per se - but
annoying as hell.

My wife happened to be walking through the park at the same time and stated that she didn't
recognize me from a distance because my running was so different - it was that noticeable.

I opted out of the run early and was able to find my self on my next run.

Over-training? In my case it was possible.

-CF

Dot

TopCounsel wrote:
> Once in a while (every month or so?) do you have one of those runs where you feel like you just
> can't find your rhythm and get into a nice comfortable stride? What IS that?
>
> I set out to run 13-1/2 miles on Monday morning (moved from Sunday for MLK holiday), and I did in
> fact complete my run, but it was one of those days where it felt more like work than fun. I tried
> the usual things -- shaking out my shoulders and arms, windmilling my arms a bit, running some 1/4
> mile up-tempo intervals, consciously altering my landings a little -- but I just never felt right.
> No pain certainly, but just none of the normal natural ease.
>
> Why does this happen once in awhile? What things do you do to try and shake it off while you're
> out there? Does it work? Running through it is okay, but still kind of a downer. I'd rather find a
> way to snap out of it.
>

For curiosity, did you eat before hand and adequately refuel / rehydrate after your runs or other
activities (not sure if you ski, lift, etc) for the past few days? Checked your training log for too
much volume? stress from work, etc.?

Sometimes, there's those days, but in my limited experience, I can usually track those days back to
something - sometimes running related, sometimes not.

Dot

--
"Success is different things to different people" -Bernd Heinrich in Racing the Antelope

Topcounsel

>I opted out of the run early and was able to find my self on my next run.

I have a rule about not bailing, but like you I pretty much am fine the next time out. Would like to
find ways to get it back during the run, though.

Topcounsel

>Sometimes, there's those days, but in my limited experience, I can usually
track those days back to something - sometimes running related, sometimes not.

There may well be a reason, of course, but my hope was for ideas to beat it whatever the reason. I
always try to do my runs of 90 minutes or longer on Sunday, and rest on Mondays, and this past week
I moved the run up a day to Monday. Should be no big deal -- I don't really think our bodies develop
rhythms with that kind of precision, do they? Any ideas for blasting out of a "gait funk" (or
whatever it is?) when you're already out there running?

FWIW, I had coffee and 3 Oreos an hour before I left the house, then downed about 8 oz. of water at
about 7 miles. That's it. Didn't really feel right from the get-go, but stuck with it.

Scott Williams

TopCounsel wrote:

>>Sometimes, there's those days, but in my limited experience, I can usually
>
> track those days back to something - sometimes running related, sometimes not.
>
> There may well be a reason, of course, but my hope was for ideas to beat it whatever the reason. I
> always try to do my runs of 90 minutes or longer on Sunday, and rest on Mondays, and this past
> week I moved the run up a day to Monday. Should be no big deal -- I don't really think our bodies
> develop rhythms with that kind of precision, do they? Any ideas for blasting out of a "gait funk"
> (or whatever it is?) when you're already out there running?
>
> FWIW, I had coffee and 3 Oreos an hour before I left the house, then downed about 8 oz. of water
> at about 7 miles. That's it. Didn't really feel right from the get-go, but stuck with it.
>
>

I had scary fall while running, and the resultant adrenaline rush gave me a nice boost. You could
play chicken with oncoming cars until you get a similar effect ....

Extreme but effective. ;-)

For me, the blahs is usually a sign that a really good run is just around the corner.

Scott

Dot

TopCounsel wrote:

> I always try to do my runs of 90 minutes or longer on Sunday, and rest on Mondays, and this past
> week I moved the run up a day to Monday. Should be no big deal -- I don't really think our bodies
> develop rhythms with that kind of precision, do they?

perhaps not to day of week, but perhaps to time after some other run, if you run the same sequence
all the time. For *me* right now (possibly an artifact of some other stuff), 1 day between runs
(or snowshoeing or skiing or whatever) seems to work, but if I put 2 days between, then things
start to go wrong.

>Any ideas for blasting out of a "gait funk" (or whatever it is?) when you're already out
>there running?
>>

Focusing on what might be wrong (I have a issues that I'm trying to resolve and occasionally I
regress into old pattern) Focusing on proper gait Trying to minimize headlight movement or minimize
water or ice slosh in bottle.

If on long run, I'd probably slow down, maybe walk a bit and regroup, maybe eat. The slowing down
gives metabolism a chance to catch up (physiologist recommendation on another group in response to
something else), allows some recovery. I'm still thinking that "gait funk" is related to tiredness
of some sort. Understand what causes it, and some way of overcoming it may appear. That's why I'm
thinking recovery and fuel / hydration (strong influence from examples on ultra list), but those are
just my thoughts.

Dot

--
"Success is different things to different people" -Bernd Heinrich in Racing the Antelope

Rick++

One of my guesses is "micro-colds". We are constantly exposed to diseases and viruses that dont
become full-blown, but our bodies are still fighting them non-the-less. This can become noticeable
when we drive out bodies to triple ordinary metabolism as we do during running or some equivalent
physical effort.

I Could Be Lyin

On 21 Jan 2004 18:03:07 GMT, topcounsel@aol.com (TopCounsel) wrote:

>Once in a while (every month or so?) do you have one of those runs where you feel like you just
>can't find your rhythm and get into a nice comfortable stride? What IS that?

Hmmm. Let me guess. You expect perfect ever time. Grow up.

>I set out to run 13-1/2 miles on Monday morning (moved from Sunday for MLK holiday), and I did in
>fact complete my run, but it was one of those days where it felt more like work than fun.

Doesn't this strike you as somewhat silly? If something isn't going well, and you've tried everthing
you can think of to change matters, then why continue? Stop and talk with someone. Go chase a dog -
bite the bugger if you catch him. Find an unhappy person and cheer them up. Do something USEFUL.

> I tried the usual things -- shaking out my shoulders and arms, windmilling my arms a bit, running
> some 1/4 mile up-tempo intervals, consciously altering my landings a little -- but I just never
> felt right. No pain certainly, but just none of the normal natural ease.

*Splutter*

If you find running to be "natural ease" then let me tell you, you ain't trying hard enough.

>Why does this happen once in awhile?

Oooh, I don't know. Could it be that the Universe Isn't Fair?

> What things do you do to try and shake it off while you're out there?

Just what you tried.

> Does it work?

Rarely.

> Running through it is okay, but still kind of a downer. I'd rather find a way to snap out of it.

Well, bleating on rec.running isn't going to remedy matters. Were I you, I'd recognise that my
prioities were drifting out of balance and I'd make a substantial donation to a charity that
supports crippled kids to teach myself a lesson in humility. That way at least*someone* benefits
from your angst.

Topcounsel

>Hmmm. Let me guess. You expect perfect ever time. Grow up.

"To aim for" and "to expect" are two different things. Are you saying it isn't worth trying?
_____________________________________

>Doesn't this strike you as somewhat silly? If something isn't going well,
and you've tried everthing you can think of to change matters,
>then why continue?

You quitter, you. I doubt you apply this notion in your own runs. It's not the sort of thinking I
hear from people who take up running in the first place.
_____________________________________

>If you find running to be "natural ease" then let me tell you, you ain't
trying hard enough.

Maybe -- just maybe -- you have made a valid point -- despite your dubious intentions. Have wondered
myself if maybe I have been taking it too easy on myself. I'll try harder to always run on the edge
of my wind from now on...What the heck, throwing up now and again isn't so bad, right?
_____________________________________

>>Why does this happen once in awhile?

>Oooh, I don't know. Could it be that the Universe Isn't Fair?

It definitely is not. But I wasn't thinking cosmically. I just thought if anyone out there
manages by some stratagem or other to avoid these occasional "dog" runs, their input might prove
"useful." Silly me -- I forgot the universe isn't "fair." Should we quit trying at everything, or
only at running?
______________________________________

>Well, bleating on rec.running isn't going to remedy matters. Were I you, I'd
recognise that my prioities were drifting out of balance

If we all quit bleating on rec.running, what would become of the newbies and their "sore knees?"
Where are your priorities? How else would you work off your whiskey binges?

Kelly Lee

TopCounsel wrote:
> Once in a while (every month or so?) do you have one of those runs where you feel like you just
> can't find your rhythm and get into a nice comfortable stride? What IS that?
>

Last summer when I was training for a fall marathon I had a bad run every once in awhile, same as
you. I just kept hanging in there even though is was more tough than usual, usually slowing down
just to make it through. Usually the next run was better, but I could never nail it down to what
caused that feeling. As I read here from time to time, "Not every long run is a good long run".
Just my .02.

Kelly Lee

Dot

TopCounsel wrote:

>>I'm still thinking that "gait funk" is related to tiredness of some sort. Understand what causes
>>it, and some way of overcoming it may appear.
>
>
> Tiredness may indeed have been the root -- but then what's the answer? Not to run? I had to get up
> about 2 hours early that morning to get a jump on my day. Skipping the run would be the last
> option I would want to pursue. Or, if you know you are going to run "tired," do you just lower
> your expectations and plunge ahead?

For me (beginner's naive perspective), I'd probably lower expectations and run something where I
could maintain effort and form. We are more prone to injury as we tire - the muscles don't work
right. An earlier run may require a longer warmup to get system working properly.

Since I tend to get carried away too easily, if the day doesn't feel like a good one, I do a shorter
or easier run (put a choke collar on myself to reduce chance of injury, essentially) and move the
harder one to a different day, if possible, when I can give it the effort it deserves. (As a
beginner, trying to run up 20-30% hills if tired and in bad form, is just asking for trouble, IMHO.)
Whether I do that in the future or not when I can run more consistently, I don't know.

But that's primarily why I mentioned recovery periods *within* a run. I've seen numerous race
reports from ultra runners where they were down and out, took a break - either walking or extended
aid station stop, and were off running again. My runs recently haven't been long enough for it to be
an issue. But in my limited experience, when my gait gets crappy, I'm tired or have lost focus.
That's why my suggestions were to try and focus more or recover and give your body a chance to get
back in sync. But that's just my perspective as naive beginner.

Dot

--
"Success is different things to different people" -Bernd Heinrich in Racing the Antelope

I Could Be Lyin

On 22 Jan 2004 17:19:17 GMT, topcounsel@aol.com (TopCounsel) wrote:

>"To aim for" and "to expect" are two different things. Are you saying it isn't worth trying?

I'm saying that dunking your head in the cold but refreshing waters of realism never hurt anyone.

>You quitter, you. I doubt you apply this notion in your own runs. It's not the sort of thinking I
>hear from people who take up running in the first place.

True, but I don't "aim or expect" to feel super on every run. If things get really bad, I'm quite
content to let nature take its course and have a chat with the local sheep.

Note I said 'chat'. That is not a euphemism for anything other than an exchange of world views with
our wooly chums. And on that note, it would appear that Scottish sheep don't think too highly of
your foriegn policy. Something about 'having less understanding of constructive dialogue than a lump
of granite' were they words they used when describing your Senate.

>Maybe -- just maybe -- you have made a valid point -- despite your dubious intentions. Have
>wondered myself if maybe I have been taking it too easy on myself. I'll try harder to always run on
>the edge of my wind from now on...What the heck, throwing up now and again isn't so bad, right?

Of couse not. Makes you look like a real runner. Keeps the locals at a safe distance too.

> Should we quit trying at everything, or only at running?

Maybe you should start by accepting that you won't feel wonderful on every run?

>If we all quit bleating on rec.running, what would become of the newbies and their "sore knees?"
>Where are your priorities? How else would you work off your whiskey binges?

I don't drink alcohol. Perhaps that accounts for my grumpy nature. It's either that, or the
unbelievable trivia that accounts for 98% of the posts on rec.running - ours excluded, of course.

Topcounsel

>As I read here from time to time, "Not every long run is a good long run".

Seems that "grin and bear it" is the order of the day:

(1) "Grow up."

(2) "Maybe you should start by accepting that you won't feel wonderful on every run?"

I Could Be Lyin

On 22 Jan 2004 20:41:00 GMT, topcounsel@aol.com (TopCounsel) wrote:

>So you've said before. But after all, you're also out there talking to sheep, and by your own
>account they're answering you back about affairs of state.

What's more worrying is that they make perfect sense.

> And how come every time I catch a glimpse of Parliament on the "telly" I wonder whether England
> is an entire nation of spoiled children?

Because it's a true reflection of our nature. We are horribly jealous of how well you Yankee
upstarts have done, and do everything in our power to diss you. Sadfly, you don't give a toss and
continue on your merry, and successful, way. Which makes us even more angry. So we seek solance in
the company of sheep.

> Is there no longer any such thing as a "statesman?"

I don't think we'd recognise one even if they existed in the UK, which
- of course - they don't.

>So, have you taken the opportunity to try out running on the banked oval tracks used for
>auto racing?

Banked ovals? We don't have woosy race circuits in Europe. We expect our drivers to go around
corners without any assistance from the road.

>How long is a furlong? I don't know diddly about horseracing.

Nor I, but I did receive a basic education. A furlong is 201.17 meters in length.

I presume you chose the law as your profession because you lack an education in matters relating to
measurement?

I Could Be Lyin

On 22 Jan 2004 21:21:34 GMT, topcounsel@aol.com (TopCounsel) wrote:

>Where are furlongs used but on the horsetrack? I actually have an undergraduate degree in
>chemistry, so I got lots of physics and math. It just doesn't show now (too remote in time?). But
>we used to deal in things like Angstroms and micrometers, not furlongs.

There's a principle at stake here. Would you trust a fellow who couldn't tell you how many inches
are in a meter? No? Nor would I. Then how could I, with confidence, place my legal affairs in the
hands of a man who has to resort to Google to make sense of a furlong?

I'm sorry, TC, but I shan't be coming to you for legal advice. I shall limit myself to queries on
running shoe leakage which was, if I remember correctly, where I came in...

Swstudio

"TopCounsel" <topcounsel@aol.com> wrote in message
> >A furlong is 201.17 meters in length.
>
> A google search says a furlong is 1/8 mile. That is much more useful knowledge.

What makes the metric system useless? Because many americans don't use it? ;)

cheers,
--
David (in Hamilton, ON) www.allfalldown.org

Norm

"I could be lying" <kisskiss@angrydumpling.net> wrote in message
news:l6h0101jjpcdkdisamukv86s2hn0hfv5nj@4ax.com...
> On 22 Jan 2004 21:21:34 GMT, topcounsel@aol.com (TopCounsel) wrote:
>
> >Where are furlongs used but on the horsetrack? I actually have an
undergraduate
> >degree in chemistry, so I got lots of physics and math. It just doesn't
show
> >now (too remote in time?). But we used to deal in things like Angstroms
and
> >micrometers, not furlongs.
>
> There's a principle at stake here. Would you trust a fellow who couldn't tell you how many inches
> are in a meter? No? Nor would I. Then how could I, with confidence, place my legal affairs in the
> hands of a man who has to resort to Google to make sense of a furlong?
>
> I'm sorry, TC, but I shan't be coming to you for legal advice. I shall limit myself to queries on
> running shoe leakage which was, if I remember correctly, where I came in...

And just where do you turn for knowledge that you don't have handy in a nearby synapse of
your brain?

Norm

Phil M.

"SwStudio" <shhhh_secrets@hotmail.com> wrote in news:6q%Pb.775$Jg7.573
@read1.cgocable.net:

> "TopCounsel" <topcounsel@aol.com> wrote in message
>> >A furlong is 201.17 meters in length.
>>
>> A google search says a furlong is 1/8 mile. That is much more useful knowledge.
>
>
> What makes the metric system useless? Because many americans don't use it? ;)

I don't think TopCounsel was implying that. The fact that a mile is evenly divisible by 8 furlongs,
makes it more useful to think on those terms, rather than 201.17 meters.

When I was in grade school in the 60s, there was a big push to convert to metric. Sure, it would
have been a difficult few years to get everything converted, but we would now be better off.

-Phil